Radio-Frequency identification (RFID) systems typically include RFID readers, also known as RFID reader/writers or RFID interrogators, and RFID tags. RFID systems can be used in many ways for locating and identifying objects to which the tags are attached. RFID systems are useful in product-related and service-related industries for tracking objects being processed, inventoried, or handled. In such cases, an RFID tag is usually attached to an individual item, or to its package.
In principle, RFID techniques entail using an RFID reader to interrogate one or more RFID tags. The reader transmitting a Radio Frequency (RF) wave performs the interrogation. The RF wave is typically electromagnetic, at least in the far field. The RF wave can also be predominantly electric or magnetic in the near field. The RF wave may encode one or more commands that instruct the tags to perform one or more actions.
A tag that senses the interrogating RF wave may respond by transmitting back another RF wave. The tag either generates the transmitted back RF wave originally, or by reflecting back a portion of the interrogating RF wave in a process known as backscatter. Backscatter may take place in a number of ways.
The reflected-back RF wave may encode data stored in the tag, such as a number. The response is demodulated and decoded by the reader, which thereby identifies, counts, or otherwise interacts with the associated item. The decoded data can denote a serial number, a price, a date, a destination, other attribute(s), any combination of attributes, and so on. Accordingly, when a reader receives tag data it can learn about the item that hosts the tag and/or about the tag itself.
An RFID tag typically includes an antenna section, a radio section, a power-management section, and frequently a logical section, a memory, or both. In some RFID tags the power-management section included an energy storage device such as a battery. RFID tags with an energy storage device are known as battery-assisted, semi-active, or active tags. Other RFID tags can be powered solely by the RF signal they receive. Such RFID tags do not include an energy storage device and are called passive tags. Of course, even passive tags typically include temporary energy- and data/flag-storage elements such as capacitors or inductors.
RFID technology may be employed in loss-prevention systems used, for example, by retailers. Verification readers read tagged items exiting the store and determine if the item is approved to leave. However, the determination can be challenging, in one approach, a store database maintains information about all items in the store, and indicates if an item is approved to leave. The verification reader then checks the database for approval. Unfortunately, implementing the database may be costly and/or complex, especially for large stores that contain a large number of items, multiple entrances and exits, and multiple Point-of-Sale or checkout registers (collectively, PoS) that must continually update the database.
In another approach, the tags themselves retain information about whether they are approved to leave the store, and the verification reader checks each tag for approval. Authorization readers or consumer mobile devices may write a bit or bits to each tag indicating that the item is approved to leave. Unfortunately, this approach is susceptible to thieves using unauthorized readers to illegitimately set the bit or bits, typically necessitating a password-based authorization system that is complicated to maintain and use and is itself susceptible to attack.
Finally, for both approaches, foreign tags entering a store (such as a tag carried by a consumer on his or her person) may further complicate the situation because the verification reader must determine if a departing item is foreign or stolen.